Title: Socrates, Plato
1Socrates, Plato The Sophist
2The Sophists
- Protagoras
- Gorgias
- Thrasymachus
- Argued that truth was relative.
- Taught rhetoric, the art of persuasion,
regardless of the truth.
3Protagoras
- Man is the measure of all things. Of the things
that are, that they are, of the things that are
not, that they are not.
4Relativism
- Protagoras is a relativist about knowledge.
- The question is what type of relativist?
- Is knowledge relative to the
- Individual
- Culture
- Species
5Protagoras regarding God
- About the gods, I am not able to know whether
they exist or do not exist, nor what they are
like in form for the factors preventing
knowledge are many the obscurity of the subject,
and the shortness of human life. - Agnostic- undecided about gods existence.
6Views on God
- Agnostic- undecided about gods existence.
- Atheist- God does not exist.
- Theist- God exist
7Gorgias
- 1) That nothing exist
- 2) That if anything does exist, it is
incomprehensible - 3) That even if it is comprehensible, it cannot
be communicated.
8Cant express knowledge
- If reality is comprehensible, it cannot be
accurately communicated. - He claimed that we communicate with words,
- Words are only symbols or signs,
- Symbols can never be the same as the thing they
represent. - For this reason knowledge cannot be adequately
communicated.
9Impossible to Express
- 1) People communicate with words
- 2) Words are (symbols, signs, sounds)
- 3) Words are not the same as the thing they
represent - 4) Our ideas are not the same as words.
- 5) For this reason knowledge (our ideas) cannot
be adequately communicated with words.
10Skepticism
- The idea that we do not have knowledge.
- Gorgias skepticism lead him to the study and
teaching of rhetoric.
11Thrasymachus
- Thra-sym-achus
- Injustice Pays!
- Justice is for the ignorant.
12Thrasymachus
- The wise pursue their own interest at the expense
of others. - Might Right.
- A view echoed by Thomas Hobbes and Nietzsche.
13Socrates (469-399 BC)
- Socrates asked probing questions of the
intellectual elite in Athens.
14Socrates (469-399 BC)
- All sources agree that Socrates was exceedingly
ugly, had an unorthodox (lowly) manner of dress,
and often wandered around barefooted.
15The Oracle of Delphi
- Declared by the Oracle at Delphi to be the Wisest
of men- he said he was wise because he admitted
his ignorance!
16Dialogues or plays
- Socrates taught orally and did not put his
doctrines into writing. - He did not write books. His student, Plato,
wrote dialogues that reflect his views. - These are accounts of debates.
17Not a Sophist
- Unlike the Sophists (who were paid for teaching
wealthy aristocrats the skills of oration and
persuasive argument) - Socrates charged no fees and taught students
(including women) from various walks of life.
18Socratic Method
- The Socratic Method is used to arrive at truth-
The Essential Nature of Things. - Also known as dialectic method, it is where you
continue to question something until you arrive
at a definition of the thing in question. (If
that is possible)
19Socrates and his Student Plato
20The Trial of Socrates 399 B. C.
- Socrates was accused of Impiety- (refusing to
acknowledge the gods recognized by the State ) - Corrupting the young.
- Jury of 500 Found Socrates Guilty.
- Sentenced to Death Could have escaped into
exile. Choose to accept death sentence.
21Socrates was found guilty by a jury of 500,
sentenced to Death!
22Plato 428-384 B.C.
- Plato, the student of Socrates, founded the first
University in the year 387- called the Academy. - Science and knowledge were the chief goals of
study. - The mind was trained to cut thru rhetoric.
23Platos Philosophy
- Theory of Forms
- Allegory of the Cave
- Divided Line
- Platonic Forms
- Platonic Realism
- Division of the Soul
- Philosopher King
- Memories of the Soul
24Allegory of the Cave
- Plato ask us to imagine
- that men believe the shadows are real.
- This is told in class, and it is told well.
- Page 40 in Book.
25Plato on knowledge
- Plato thinks that because this world is
constantly changing, that truth is this world is
impossible. - Truth for Plato is something, eternal.
- Objects in this world are not eternal, so are
beliefs about them cannot always be correct.
26Divided Line (p.51)
Intelligible World FORMS Knowledge Truth/ Knowledge
Intelligible World Numbers Sets Thinking Truth/ Knowledge
Visible World Physical Objects Belief Opinion
Visible World Images, copies of objects Opinion or Imagining Opinion
27Platonic Forms
- PLATONIC FORMS
- UNIVERSAL IDEAS OR CONCEPTS
- ETERNAL
- CHANGLESS
- TIMELESS
- NON-MATERIAL ESSENCES
28Platonic Forms Continued
- All physical objects are copies of these original
entities - They exist in another plain of reality- in an
immaterial realm.
29Modes of Thought
Knowledge
Thinking
Belief
Imagining
30Imagining
- Imagining is the lowest form of knowledge.
- It is the lowest because the mind does not know
it is just an image- it thinks the image is real
(as in the CAVE) - An Imagine is an imperfect copy of a physical
object. As such it is lower on the scale of
knowledge than the physical thing.
31Belief
- A belief is held about some physical object.
- Physical objects do not correspond to the true
or real Form that they copy. - Beliefs about physical objects are not certain,
because the objects and world are in a state of
changing. - Physical objects are not eternal.
32Thinking
- Thinking is a deeper level of understanding.
- One moves from the visible world, to the
intelligible world of thought. - The objects of mathematics, such as numbers,
sets, geometric figures and formula make up this
level of knowledge.
33Knowledge
- Perfect Intelligence- Knowledge of the Forms.
- At this level of understanding the mind grasp the
unity of reality, and the truth that the ideas or
Forms are what really exist!
34Platonic Forms
- Plato claimed that all physical objects copy the
original, unchanging Form. - Physical objects are imperfect copies.
- Like Heraclitus, he held that this reality is
constantly changing and shifting. - What is true today may be false tomorrow in this
world. - In the realm of the Forms- truth is eternal.
35How are Forms related to one another.
- Forms are related to one another.
- For Example
- Form Animal Form Shape
- Form Horse Form Circle
- Particular Horse Particular circle
36How are Forms related to Particulars
- Particulars- or Particular objects, partake of
the Form. - Socrates partakes in the Form Man
- The clock partakes in circle, clock, numbers
- How specific we need to get is a question.
37Platonic Realism
- The notion that Forms or Ideas exist in a
separate reality is known as Platonic Realism.
38Universals and Particulars.
- This is an issue in metaphysics-
- What is the relationship between ideas and
objects. - Universals is another name for ideas or concepts.
(General terms) - Particulars is another name for objects or
individual things that we encounter in the world.
39Ontological Status of Ideas
- Platonic Realism
- Exaggerated Realism
- Conceptualism
- Extreme Nominalism
40Platonic Realism
- Ideas are real. They have independent existence,
apart from our thoughts. - For Plato Universals have Transcendental
existence apart from the particulars that
participate. The Form is the cause of the
essence of a thing, and the particulars are said
to imitate or copy the Forms in an imperfect way.
41Exaggerated Realism
- Exaggerated Realism is the notion that Universals
exist in the particulars as part of what makes
them similar. - The particulars are a mix or composite of form
and matter.
42Aristotles Exaggerated Realism
- Aristotle did not accept Platos claim that there
was a separate realm, or heaven of Forms. - Aristotle claimed that forms were real, but
existed in the objects that we perceive and in
our minds.
43St. Anselms Exaggerated Realism
- St. Anselm argued that the doctrine of original
sin and of the Trinity required this
interpretation of what ideas are.
44Conceptualism
- All ideas are real, but the are dependent upon a
mind, or thought. - The function of a universal term is to denote a
special relationship between particular objects.
Universal are object concepts that we form in our
minds by examining particulars.
45Extreme Nominalism
- Ideas are not real objects. They do not have
real existence. - Only particulars or individuals exist in nature.
A general term, a universal, such as a word does
not refer to anything it is only a word (voces),
or a name (nomen), composed of letters and
expressed as a vocal emission and is therefore
only air. -
46How do we know the Forms
- Why should we accept that there is a separate
reality filled with ideas? - Plato claims that he remembers the Forms.
- According to Plato our Soul is eternal, and once
existed in the realm of the Forms.
47Memories of the Soul
- According to Plato our soul is eternal. It comes
from the realm of the Forms and is infused with
the body during pregnancy. - All of us had complete access to all the Forms
- We all have within our soul, absolute knowledge.
48Division of the Soul
- According to Plato the soul is divided into three
parts. - Tripartite conception of the soul.
- Reason
- Spirit
- Appetite
49Reason
- Reason guides us rationally towards reasonable
goals
50Spirit
- Spirit gives us the ability to comply with
reason, to be brave and follow thru with our goals
51Appetite
- The appetitive side of our soul drives our
impulses and desires. - Reason, according to Plato, must keep the desires
in check. - Allowing our passions to make decision will lead
to chaos and ruin.
52Plato and ignorance
- Ignorance leads to evil.
- Plato claims that no one knowingly does wrong.
- Akrasia- or weakness of the will, does not exist.
- People simply do not understand the harm they are
doing by performing certain actions.
53Philosopher King
- Plato argued that society should be ordered like
the soul. - Reason- Philosopher King
- Spirit- Auxiliaries or Soldiers
- Appetites- workers/ artisans
54Platos Ideal Society
- Platos ideal society is an intellectual
Aristocracy. - Smart people deciding for everyone the right and
the good. - Because smart people have a true grasp of the
world.
55Ranking of Social Structures
- Plato thought an intellectual aristocracy was the
best form of government. - He held that a democracy was the worst.